BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    




                   Senate Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary
                           Senator Kevin Murray, Chairman

                                           1641 (Soto)
          
          Hearing Date:  4/24/2006        Amended: AI
          Consultant:  John Miller        Policy Vote: Human Svcs 3 - 1
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          BILL SUMMARY:   SB 1641 requires the Department of Social  
          Services to convene a workgroup to review regulations and  
          statutes of foster care placements to identify barriers and  
          requirements which may stigmatize foster families or result in  
          unnecessary restrictions on foster youth.
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                            Fiscal Impact (in thousands)

           Major Provisions         2006-07      2007-08       2008-09     Fund
           Administrative costs   $ 75       $ 135       $ 0       GF
                                                                      
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          STAFF COMMENTS: 

          This measure is one of several recent proposals intended to  
          normalize foster home environments and to avoid stigmatizing  
          foster children.  The intent of the bill is to provide foster  
          children/youth a living situation as close to nonfoster family  
          life as possible.  The bill requires the Director of Social  
          Services to establish a workgroup to review all statutes,  
          regulations and policies and to recommend elimination of rules  
          which hinder recruitment of foster parents or require imposition  
          of restrictions not ordinarily imposed by reasonable and prudent  
          parents.  The workgroup is to be convened by February 1, 2007  
          and shall issue a report by December 31, 2007.

          SB 1641 also requires that foster home placements with either  
          relative caregivers or non-relative caregivers are the least  
          restrictive and most family like environments which meet the  
          needs of the children. The bill specifies age appropriate  
          activities be available to foster children. The measure contains  
          a "crimes disclaimer".